The present invention relates to ungelled resins, aqueous dispersions of the resins, and electrodeposition using the aqueous dispersions.
Electrodeposition as a coating application method involves the deposition of a film-forming composition under the influence of an applied electrical potential. Electrodeposition has become increasingly important in the coatings industry because, by comparison with non-electrophoretic coating means, electrodeposition offers higher paint utilization, outstanding corrosion protection and low environmental contamination. Initially, electrodeposition was conducted with a workpiece being coated serving as the anode. This was familiarly referred to as anionic electrodeposition. However, in 1972, cationic electrodeposition was introduced commercially. Since that time, cationic electrodeposition has steadily gained in popularity and today is by far the most prevalent method of electrodeposition. Throughout the world, more than 80 percent of all motor vehicles produced are given a primer coating by cationic electrodeposition. Other areas of application are primer coating or one-coat topcoating of automobile accessories, farm machinery, house and electrical appliances, steel furniture and structural components.
A serious problem associated with electrodeposition as practiced industrially is surface defects in films. A particularly acute problem is cratering or the development of small depressions in the surface of the coating. The sources of cratering unfortunately are many and some of the more important sources are believed to be impurities in the electrodeposition bath which may be, for example, oil or pretreatment chemicals introduced into the bath along with the article to be coated. One solution to the problem is to eliminate the source of contamination. However, since the sources are many, this may not be practical on an industrial scale.
The present invention provides a better appearing electrodeposition coating by eliminating or substantially minimizing cratering. Besides films relatively free of craters, the invention also provides for more flexible and water-resistant electrodeposited coatings.